Process for removing the casings of link sausages and structurally like products



July 14, 1953 R. A. SCHNEIDER 2,644,982

' PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE CASINGS OF LINK SAUSAGES AND SI'RUCTURALLY LIKE PRODUCTS Filed Dc. 31, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l RBBERT A. ,E HNEIDER.

(Ittorneg July 14, 1953 R. A. SCHNEIDER 2,644,982 PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE CASINGS 0F LINK SAUSAGES AND STRUCTURALLY LIKE PRODUCTS Filed Dec. 31, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventor 8 ROBERT A. SCHNEIDER I Patented July 14, 1953 'RooEss FOR REMOVING THE CASINGS F ,LINK. SAUSAGES, AND STRUCTURALLY LIKE PRODUCTS:

I Robert A. Schneider, Bridgeport, Conn. Application December- -31, 1 949,'Seria,l No. 136,264

The present invention relates to a. processand apparatus for removing the casing of link"'sausage and structurally like products. In the manufacture of link sausage the ground meat or other ingredients of the sausage is forced into an, elongated tubular skin or casing which is thenftied orconstricted at intervals to producefthe links,.

the length of link sausage thus formed being thereupon cooked, smoked, or otherwise processed, this processing having the effect of permanently settingor'solidi-fying the shape of the sausage links. The casings employed have either been natural casings, that is casings prepared from the intestines of meat animals, or synthetic casings which have consisted of various materials sub stantially similar to natural casings. The natu ral casings are edible, and for the most part it is customary to leave such casings upon the saus-' age. Howevergin the case or synthetic casings it is desirable that they be removed, and heretofore the process of removal has consisted in the manual slitting and peeling of the casings from the sausage links, which method has been costly, time-consuming, and contrary to the best sanitary practice because of the necessity for 4 Claims. (CI. 1745 link be capable of stretching through internal being known commercially as Visking. In tyin at the ends of each link, such string usually" being of cotton or similar material, or of twisting the sausage at the ends of each of the links,

both of which methods preclude subsequent stretching of the constricted portions of thecas ing, due tothe non-stretching characteristicof the cotton string, and the impossibility ofs'tretch-' ing the twisted structure.

It is proposed in the present invention to remove the casing from the lengthof link sausage after it has been processed to permanently set the shape of the sausage links, by first subjecting the exterior of the length of link sausage to water or other wetting media to render the casing highly stretchable, and thereupon to introduce air under pressure to the interior of the casing, causing the casing to stretch away from theformed' sausage links to thereby release them from the casing.

In carrying out this process it is-also necessary that the tie tr constriction at the end of each pressureof air to the point where the diameter of the tied or constricted portion is greater than the diameter of the sausage link, and it is there fore proposed as a. step in the process of carrying out the invention toprovide a tie or constriction capable of stretching. To this end it is proposed to provide a tie consisting of string formed ofga material capable of disintegrating orstretching'to a high degree when wet,'such materialjbeing, for" instance cellulose string. In this case thetying process. may be carriedout by thelusual tying apparatus heretofore employing cotton string. It is also proposed according to the invention to producethetie or constriction by the use of clamping -.means, adapted to. form the constrictions at each end ofthe sausage link, such clamping means adapted to be removed following'the finishing steps, at which time the form of the sausage links. is permanently set and the constrictions will remain after removal of the clamping means. 1

With the above and other objects in view, em-

bodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed 'out in the claims.

'In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view, partially in side elevation and partiallyinve'rtical section, showing'an apparatus for fillin the sausage casing and tying the links. Fig: 2' is a side elevation on an enlarged scale,

showing a length of the link sausage produced by the apparatus shown in Fig. -1.

- Fig."3 is aside elevation of a modified form of apparatus for filling the sausage casingand;

formingfthe links by clampin means.

Fig.4 is a. plan viewthereof." r Fig.5 is a 'detailsideselevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the clampunits employed, th same being shown in open position. 1

Fig. 6 Ba top plan view of the clamp unit, and showing the closing cam therefor. Fig. 7 is. a sideelevationshowing the clamp unit in closed position. I Fig, .8 is a top plan view of the closed clamp unit, and showing the opening cam therefor.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing a length of the link sausage produced by the apparatus shown in Figs. '3 to 8.

Fig. '10 is a vertical sectional view showing the apparatus for. removing. the sausage casinggand showing a. length of link sausage secured therein.

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the step of introducing air under pressure within the casing to release the link sausage therefrom.

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the link sausage removed from the casing and the casing in expanded relation within the apparatus.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings there are shown in Figs. 1 to 9 thereof two procedures for producing link sausage or structurally like products, according to the invention, preparatory to insertion in the apparatus provided for removing the casing of the link sausage. the invention contemplates the removal of the casing from various types of sausage, as well as other products enclosed in a casing and-having substantially equivalent form.

According to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, it is proposed to employ a synthetic casing in the form of an elongated tube of a suitable material having the characteristics of toughness, pliability and of becoming stretchable to a high degree when wet. Certain viscose materials are suitable for this purpose, one example being the material commercially produced under the name Visk1ng." This particular material is a regenerated cellulose with a small amount of glycerin added for softness.

The casing I is first placed upon the nozzle H of the filling press l2, the entire length of the tube being placed upon the nozzle in a contracted state similar to the contracting of an accordian, one end of the casing being fixed upon the nozzle while the other end is tied over the end of the nozzle. As shown in Fig. l, a portion of the casing is still in its contracted state upon the nozzle, while the rest of the casing has been filled with the sausage meat 13 through the operation of the press l2. The press has a plunger [4 which forces the ground meat and other ingredients through the nozzle and into the tube, the ground meat being'initially forced into the closed end of the casing, and the casing being gradually pulled off the nozzle as it is filled.

The sausage links are formed by a so-called linker unit, indicated at I5, which automatically constricts and ties the links at each end by means of cord ties [6. In the usual production of sausage the linker employs cotton cord, but for the purpose of the present invention a; cellulose or similar cord material is employed having the characteristic of disintegrating or of becoming highly stretchable when wet, so that when m4 ternal pressure is applied to the casing; the cord ties will not prevent the expansion of the constricted portions of the casing, as would be the case if cotton or similar cord material is employed. While it is preferred to carry out 'the step of tying or constricting'the links by a sausage linking machine unit, which may, for instance, be the type as shown in the patent to Demarest et al. No. 2,307,361, dated January 5, 1943, assigned to Automatic Linker, Inc., Newark, New Jersey, it is pointed out that the constricting ties may be produced manually or in any other suitable manner. The filled casing is next subjected to the usual finishing processes of cooking, smoking and the like, which has the effect of substantially solidifying or fixing the characteristic sausage shape of the links, whereupon the length of link sausage is ready for the step It is pointed out that r is filled .by the press [2.

all)

of having the casing removed, as will presently more fully appear.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 9 the links are produced by forming the constrictions at the ends of the links by clamp units, which remain in place during the finishing processes of cooking, smoking, and the like, being thereupon disengaged preparatory to the step of removing the casing, the constrictions in the. casing at the ends of the links being retained as a result of the finishing process. The clamp units, indicated generally as II, are provided in evenly spaced relation along a spiral path provided upon a reel member l8 upon which the length of sausage is adapted to be wound as the casing ID The reel may be rotated and moved axially in any suitable manner in synchronized relation with the speed of operation of the press, as the spiral of sausage is engaged thereon, so that the clamp units successively move into the same relation to the nozzle.

Each of the clamp units consists of a lower clamp plate 29, having a substantially semi-circular recess 30 in its upper edge in which the length of filled casing is engaged, and a clamping arm 3|, pivotally mounted upon the plate 23 by a pivot pin 32, and having a substantially semi-circular recess 33 adapted upon closing of the arm to cooperate withthe recess 30 to constrict the sausage to produce the constricted neck or connection l6a at each end of the links, the recesses 30 and 33 being respectively provided with cooperating notches 34 and 35 for confining and forming the constriction. In the open position of the clamping arm 3|, as shown in Fig. 5, it is held against a stop lug 36 by means of a spring 31 tied between a pin 38 on the arm and a pin 33 on the plate 29, this spring in the open position of the arm being at one side of the pivot 32. In the closed position of the clamping arm, as shown in Fig. '7, the spring moves to the other side of the pivot 32 and holds the arm in closed position against a stop lug 40. The clamping arm 3| is provided with an angularly extending finger 4|, adapted in the open position to lie substantially horizontally and in the closed position to project vertically above the plate 29.

The clamping units are adapted to be successively closed by a fixed cam 42 disposed in the path of the open clamping arm 3| of each clamp unit as it moves into relation to the cam through the rotation and axial movement of the reel, the arm being engaged by the cam and swung downwardly in closing direction to the point where the spring 31 moves over the center of the pivot 32 and draws the arm into closed position.

The reel serves as a portable carrier for the formed length of link sausage which remains thereon during the processes of the cooking, smoking, and the like, and thereupon the reel is adapted to be placed in a suitable fixture or the like for the purpose of releasing the clamps from the link sausage. For this purpose a fixed cam 42 is provided which is adapted to be successively engaged by the raised fingers 4| of the closed clamping arms as the reel is rotated and axially moved in reverse direction to the direction of movement during the formation of the link sausage thereon. When released by the clamps, the length of link sausage is removed from the reel and is ready to have the casing removed.

The apparatus for removing the casing is shown in Figs. 10 to 12, and consists of avertically disposed tube 43 of approximately the same the building that it extends'through and-betweenfloors. .The tubeispreferablyformed of suitable transparent material to facilitate" cleaning xand enable the operations-taking place within. it :to be observed; andispreferably'formedin several sections screwed-together, as-:at :44'.:= .The. tube is also preferably extensible; I so thatf' its length can be made to ::correspond.=to "the individual lengths of link sausage, whichwmay pvary within inches, and for this purpose-a thin telescopetube 45 may. be secured in-' thelower section of the tube 43 with its upwardly projecting end slideably engaged inthe :lower end of the adjacent tube section. This construction also facilitates the securing of the length'of link sausage in the tube, as will presently more fully appear. r

At the upper end of thetube 43 there is secured an externally threaded ring 46, having a tapered passage 4'] adaptedtoflbe' wedgingly engaged by a tapered sealingplug' lfl, havingjan internally threaded cap-49"rotatably connected thereto for relative vertical movement byaj center pin 5 fl.- The cap 49 is adapted uponbeingfjscrewed down upon the ring- 46 to wedgingly eng'age the plug 48 Within the'opening'ffl for thel purpdse of securing the upper end50of the sausage casing in sealed relation in the upper end of the tube. wet to render it stretchable and pliable and is then placed within the opening 41, whereupon the plug is engaged within the end of the tube and tightened by screwing down the cap 49, theend of the casing being thus firmly secured within the opening 41. At the same time the space within the tube 43 surrounding the length of link sausage is sealed at its upper end.

Secured upon the lower end of the tube 43 is an externally threaded ring 52 engaged by an internally threaded clamping collar 53, having a sausage within the -tubeT 4'3"-i's cemplet'edras shown'in Fig. 10, afluid'media; as ior-ins't'an'ce. water under pressure'ds' admitted' throiigh the valve 59 tothe space withln 'th'e' tube M sfirrounding the length of link sausagez' Th'e temperature of the fluid niedia' m'ay be-"regu1ated"to any desired degree depending upon therequi're .ments of the particular casing material, itbeing The end 5| of the sausage casing is first pointed out that the function: ofthe fluid media;-

isto wet the. casing to-render it highly stretchable under internal pres'sure. 'JWhile water been found to be satisfactoryfor thispur'posedm cooperation with certain casing materials, jit is' to be understood thatsteam," gaswor other suitable. fluidmediaz mayibe employ'ednwith :casfng such als" found to .be I suitab y reactive-- media. I N

As the tube 43 -is gradually/ filled with' wateri air is expelled .through the valve lilswhichflis opened for. this purpose; When the. air "ex-' pelled, the valve' 59 is closediandxthe'valve fl fordnstance 25 pounds per square :inch. of the air or other fluid media,. which is next admitted within the casing,: as will: presently"! more; =:fully appear. .The 'water orfother. fluid inediassur-x rounding the length of: link SflllSfijgGfiflIl addition to-Lits function of, renderingithe =casin'grhighly:

stretchable, tends to maintain the centralized position of the length of link sausage in the tube 43 and also provides an external pressure sup- 7 port for'the casing.

flange 54 at its lower end engaged beneath a flange provided at the upper neck end of a receptacle 56 in which the sausage removed from the casing are adapted to fall, as will presently more fully appear. Tightening of the ring 53 clamps the upper end of the receptacle with respect to the ring 52, the lower end 51 of the sausage casing which has first been wet to render it stretchable and pliable being engaged between the ring 52 and the upper end 55 of the receptacle 56 to thus secure the length of link sausage in the tube. the space within the tube 43 surrounding the length of link sausage is sealed and a funnel-like entrance is provided from the receptacle 56to the interior of the casing.

At the lower end of the tube 43 thereis provided an inlet pipe 53 for admitting hot water receptacle 56 there is provided an inlet pipe 63 for air or other suitable fluid media under pressure having a constant pressure valve 64 which may be set to any suitable pressure.

When the step of securing the length of link At the same time the lower end of The next step of the process consists in ad mitting air or other suitable fluid media under the casing outwardly into engagement with the wall of the tube 43, so that the diameter of the casing is substantially larger than the diameter of the link sausage. As the air travels upwardly between the casing and the link sausage it successively separates the casing from the sausage units and opens the constrictions, thereby allowing the sausage units to drop downwardly through the tube and into the receptacle 56. The gradual filling of the casing with air at the same time forces the water .or other fluid media surrounding the casing outwardly through the valve 62 until the entire length of link sausage is released from the casing, the entire casing at this point beingforced against the tube 43. By releasing the plug 48 at the upper end of the tube 43 and the sealing ring 53 at the lower end, the casing may be removed from the tube 43 so that the apparatusis ready for removing the casing from another length of link sausage.

The product of my process, as compared to the product of previous methods of casing removal, has an improved outer or skin surface of relatively increased smoothness and homeogsaideasing to render it stretchable, and admitting a fluid media, under pressure within' said casing to expand it away fromthe encased structure; I

2; The process for removing the casing from link sausage and structurally like products vwhere in the casing is stretchable, which consists in supporting the link sausage or the like within an. enclosed space, admitting fluid under pressure to said space in surrounding-relation to said casing to externally support said casing under fluid pressure, and admitting a fluid media under pressure within said casing to expand it away from the encased structure.

3. The process for removing the casing from link sausage and structurally like products whereinthe' casing is stretchable, which consists in supporting the link sausage or the like within an enclosed space, admitting fluid under pressure to said space in surrounding relation to said casing to externally support said casing under. fluid pressure, releasably retaining said fluid at a given pressure and admitting a fluid media-under a given pressure in excess oi said given pressure of said flrst fluid media within said casing to expand it away from the encased structure andto expel said first fluid media from said space.

'4. A method of removing wieners from their casings comprising clamping one end 01 the casing; forcing fluid under pressure into the casing, and restricting expansion 01' the casing to a degree only sui'flcient'to separate the casing from the wieners, whereby the wieners are loosened from the casing.

ROBERT A. SCHNEIDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

